Type  weiting machine



(No Model.) 3 sheets-sheetl 1-.

F. MYERS. YTYPE WRITING MACHINE.

No. 442,819. Patented Dec. 16. 1890.

FIG.|

| lllZ2 (No M0161.) 3 sheets-sheen 'I'. MYERS. TYPE WRITING IIIIGlIINE.Y

No. 442,819. Patented Dec. 16.11890.

FIG.3

MESEES 9W SEMW@ (No Model.)

`3 Sheets--Sheet 3A 1:". MYERS. TYPE nWRITING MACHINE.

110.442,819. 121116111911 Dec. 16.1890.

WITIEESEE I we Noms paens co., mom-umu., wAsHmcTsN, n. c.

VUrrrrED STATES ATENT TYPE-,wRlTlNG MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters 'Patent No. 442,819, datedDecember 16, 1890.

Application led May 14,1889- Serial No. 310,696. (No model.) Patented inEngland July 18, 1888,1l0. 10,410; in France l January 17, 1889, No.195,430, and in Belgium Tanuary 18,1889,N0. 84,675.

writing machine in which the type are arranged above the paper carriageor platen upon the peripheries of one or more vertical disks, the saiddisk, er each disk, (if there be more than one,) being rotated into agiven position for each type thereon, the relative amounts of suchrotation depending upon the relative distances to which the type-keylevers are depressed. Certain portions of the mechanism are, however,applicable to typewriting machines other than the above, and certainportions also are fully described and claimed in my former patentspecification,

Serial No. 304,810.

The invention relates more especially to the position and manner ofmounting` the typewheel, to the mechanism for operating and adjustingsaid wheel, to the spacing mechanism, to means for raising the platenagainst the type,and to various other details, the object beiug toconstruct a strong and comparatively cheap machine, and one which shallat the same time be easily and quickly worked by means of the ordinarykeys placed in front of the machine.v

The invention may be understood by reference to the accompanyingldrawings, in which- Figure 1 is an end elevation of the machine. Fig. 2is an elevation of the reverse end of the machine to that shown inFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan of the machine with parts broken away. Fig. 4is a front elevation of the machine witlr parts removed and other partsbroken away. Figs. to 8 are views showing various details andmodifications of the keylevers and their connections. Fig. El is adetail View of the inking mechanism. Fig. 10 showsl a modified deviceforholding the typewheel in any of its longitudinal positions.

1n the drawings and specification only so much of the machine is shownand described as is necessary forthe proper understanding of theinvention.

On one end of the main frame A of themay chine is mounted an uprightframe B, and on the other an overhanging standard B. The main framecarrying the aforesaid frame and standard and almost the whole of themechanism is pivoted, as at A2, in an approximately horizontal positionto the lower fixed machinebed A', being heldin its normal position by aspring or springs At and an adjustable stop a4, which is preferablyfitted with a bufferblock.v A similar buffer or buffers a5 may also beprovided for the frame to strike against at the termination of itsdownward movement. y

The main frame is preferably pivoted to the bed A', directly below thekey-lever shaft D and platen R, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or evenslightly in advance of these parts. By this arrangement the weightof theframe and mechanism is almost equally distributed on each side of thepivots A2, so that a comparatively light sprng may be employed at A, andlittle power is required to compress the spring when the frame isdepressed.

The keys C are preferably arranged in three parallel rows at the frontof the machine. The same keys which are used for printing the largecharacters are also used for printing the small characters and thefigures, in the manner hereinafter described. Each key is attached tothe front end of a key-lever C,

all the key-levers being carried by the horizontal key-lever shaftD,which passes through their rear ends and is supported in bearings,preferably on the main frame A, and upright frame B, aforesaid. Thekey-levers may be connected to the key-lever shaft by a long key orfeather (l, which passes through a suitable slot d in the eye of eachlever, so that the shaft is rotated for a certain distance wheneverakey-lever is depressed, (see Fig. 5;) or the eye of each key-lever maybe provided with a feather, and a long slot may IOC be formed inthelever-shaft. Each of the keylcvers is guided preferably at or nearits outer end by guiding-slot c, Figs. 3 and 4, against the lower end ofwhich it strikes when depressed to a certain distance. The slots arepreferably formed in a vertical rib C2, eX- tending across the mainframe below the le- .vers. No two slots inthe rib have the same depth,so that each key depresses its lever to 1 n a different point androtates the shaft through a different angle from that of any other key.Each key-lever, after being depressed, is returned to its normalposition by a spring c'. This spring is preferably secured to the rearI5 of the frameA and rests against the under side of the lever. By thisarrangement the levers cannot depress the main frame before striking thebottom of the slots c, as they otherwise might do if the springs weremounted 2o upon the front part of the frame. The upward movement of thelevers is controlled by a check-rod c2 or by other suitable checkarrangement.

The levers C may be retained in their position longitudinally upon theshaft D by loose collars upon the shaft; but it is preferable to retainthem in position by passing them through slots c4 in a vertical rib C3,Figs. 4 and 5, which is mounted upon the frameA 3o and placed as near aspracticable to the shaft.

After a lever is released the shaft D is returned to its normal positionby a spring f, fhereinafter described.

To avoid depressing all the levers each time a key is moved, the slots din the lever-eyes are extended downward-that is, away from theworking-edge of the feather CZ on the keylever shaft, as shown in Fig.5, or upward from the feather dif the latterbe on the rear 4o side ofthe shaft. The upper or working edge of the feather is held normally inan arrangement suchas shown in Fig. 5 by the spring f aforesaid, or itsequivalent, against the corresponding edges of all the slots, so thatthe least downward movement of a key-lever will actuate the shaft. Thegreatest movement of which a key-lever is capable will not, however,cause the shaft to rotate so far as to bring the lower or rear edge ofthe feather in 5o contact with the corresponding sides of the slots ofthe other levers and the latter will consequently remain stationary.

Instead of mounting the key-levers C upon their shafts D, as describedabove, so that their varying travel imparts a varying movement to thetypewheel,they maybe mounted upon or connected with their shaft, asshown in Figs. 6 and 7, by either of which arrangements the varyingmovements of the type-v o wheel may be effected with a constant keylevertravel. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 6 the working-edges of theslots d in the lever-eyes instead of bearing normally against theworking-edge of the feather d, as in Fig. 5, 65. are located at acertain distance above-that is, away fro m-the working-edge of thefeather in the shaft, (or below the working-edge, if

the feather be on the rear side of the shaft-,) so that during a certaindefinite portion of each levers movement the shaft remains stationary.Notwo slots have their workingedges at the same distance from thecorresponding edges of the feather, and therefore the shaft D (andconsequent-ly the type-wheel) will be rotated by the constant travel ofeach lever into a different and definite position. This constant travelis effected by placing the lower ends of all the guiding-slots c at thesame distance below the levers. The working-edge of 'the feather d maybe held normally by the spring f against the corresponding edge of thenarrowest slot d', so that the least downward movement of thecorresponding lever will actuate the shaft; or the shaft may be held inits normal position by other equivalent means.

In the modified arrangement shown in Fig. 7 ,which also gives a constantlever-travel, the key-levers C are connected with their shaft in such amanner as to greatly reduce the friction between the levers and shaftwhen the latter is rotated by any given lever. The levers are looselypivoted upon a rod D2, carried in suitable brackets on the main frame Aand lying parallel to and in the rear of the lever shaft D. The featherd in said shaft is extended outward for a short distance and the leversare arched over the shaft and are each provided with a projection orshoulder d2, which is located at a given distance above the feather, theamount of such distance depending on the amount of movement required onthe shaft. By this arrangement the friction is reduced to that of theshaft-bearings of the feather d and lever projection d2, and of onelever-eye. The working-edge of the feather (l may bear normally, asbefore, against the lowest projection d2.

Fig. S shows how the arrangement. set forth in Fig. 7 may be so modifiedas to give a variable lever movement. All the projections (Z2 bearnormally against the feather cl, and the slots c are of various depths,as described with reference to Figs. 3, 4, and 5.

The type-wheel and the adjusting, locking', and driving mechanismtherefor may be arranged as follows: The key-levershaftD carries abevel-Wheel or quadrant D,which gears with a similar wheel or quadrant Fon atransverse shaft F, carried in bearings on the upright standard Baforesaid. The front end of the shaft F carries a toothed quadrant-armFwhichprojects vertically upward for some distance. The said arm isconnected with the spring f, or its equivalent, which returns it to itsnormal position whenever it is released, thc said spring beingpreferably secured to a weighted downward extension j'2 of thequadrant-arm, as shown. The said IOC weighted extension serves as acounter-balance for the oscillated.

quadrant-arm F2 as the latter is The type are carried on the peripheryof a `alterne f3 type-wheel H', which is mounted upon a hori-l zontalshaft h above the platen R in such a manner as to be capable ofoscillating in a vertical plane passing approximately through the axisof the said platen. The type are arranged in one or more (preferablythree) parallel circles Z Z' Z2 around or partly around the periphery ofthe type-wheel, a blank space or gap H3 being left at one point in thecircles of type or in the type-wheel itself, for a purpose hereinaftersetforth. Instead of arrangingtwo ormore groups of type upon onewheel,Imay arrange them on separate wheels of equal diameters mounted side byside upon the same shaft. One group or circle of type-as, for instance,Z-contains the capitals and the stops or signs most frequently usedtherewith. A second group, as Z2, embraces the small letters, with theirusual stops, &c., while the third group Z', which is preferably thecentral one, includes the numerals and those stops, signs, or characterswhich are seldom used. By thus arranging the type in two or moreparallel rows the diameter and weight of the typewheel may be greatlyreduced.

The type-wheel shaft 7L is mounted in suitable bearings h' upon themachine, preferably upon the standard D', so as to move with the mainframe, but independently of the platen R. The shaft h is capable of aconsiderable amount of movement longitudinally, so that any of thegroups of type upon the type-wheel may, as desired, be brought intoposition above the platen by simply pushing back or pulling forward theshaft. The shaft and wheel are held in the desired longitudinal positionby means of a spring-pawl K2, or its equivalent, which is adapted toengage any one of a series of parallel circumferential grooves K2,carried by the shaft and corresponding in number and distance apart tothe groups of type on the type-wheel. The grooves can be formed on aboss on the typewhe'el or shaft, as shown, or upon the shaft itself, andthe spring-pawl is so constructed as to yield when a slight force isapplied longitudinally to the shaft, while at the same time it is stiifenough to hold the type-wheel securely in position without in the leastinterfering with its rotation; or the grooves K3 may be replaced by asimple collar having a central groove, the pawl in this case restingeither within the groove or against one end of the collar. Thisarrangement may be seen in Fig. l0.

The type-wheel shaft carries near its front end a toothed wheel K, intowhich gears the vertical quadrant-arm F2 aforesaid, so that thetype-wheel is rotated more or less at each movement of thequadrant-armthat is, of the key-lever shaft D, worked by the keyle vers.It will be obvious that other mechanism might be employed for connectingthe main shaft with the type-wheel.

The front end of the type-wheel shaft carries a locking wheel or diskH5, having on its periphery a series of teeth or notches H2, or

notches each time the main frame is depressed to print a character, sothat the type-wheel is always held firmly in position during the momentof printing.

The locking-pawl L is preferably supported by a spring-fingerL' attachedto the fixed bed A. After the pawl has vengaged one of the notches H2and during any further depression of the main frame the spring-finger iscompressed and prevents any injury to the locking wheel or pawl. Thelocking-wheel H5 also serves as a handle for adjusting the longitudinalposition of the type-wheel.

One side of the hinged bed S, carrying the platen-frame R', is hinged orpivoted to the upright frame B and standard B', or in other convenientmanner, and the other side (preferably the rear one) is supported (bymeans of a projection S on the hinged bed) upon an abutment S2, carriedby the fixed machinebed A', as shown in Figs. l and 2. The bearing-faceof the abutment S2 or projection S' (or both) is curved or sloped, asshown, in such a manner that the rear side of the bed S (and thereforethe printing-platen R) is raised slightly, as the pivots s of the hingedbed are drawn slightly forward and downward by the depression of themain frame A in the act of printing. The bed S might be pivoted at itsrca-r side upon the main frame and its front side be supported upon anelevating device S' S2, as above described. The depression of thepivoted main frame A also causes the platen-frame R' to be movedlongitudinally the necessary distance for spacing the letters. This maybe eected as follows: A toothed rack T is supported in brackets attachedto the hinged bed S, and has at or near one end ahorizontally-projecting pin t', Figs. 3 and 4t. The sliding platen-frameR has pivoted to it a pawl t2, which engages the teeth of the toothedrack in one direction only. The rack-pin t' is engaged bytheupwardly-proj ecting arm T2, Fig. 4, of an angle-lever T', which ispivoted to the frame B. The other arm T3 of the lever is first crankedhorizontally and then projects vertically downward and rests upon therear end of the lever t, Figs. l and 3, which is pivoted to the fixedbed A' at t7 and to the front of the oscillating main frame A at t8. Asthe main frame is depressed, the rear end of the lever t" rises andlifts the arm T3 of the angle-lever. By reason of the shape oftheangle-lever T' the lower end of the arm T3, when raised, moves sidewisetoward the right, while the upper end `of the arm T2 moves toward theleft and draws along the rack T. By the time the rack has been movedlthe proper distance, the lower end of the arm T3 has moved off the rearend ofthe lever t, and any further upward movement of the latter (duetothe depressionof the frame A IOO IIO

during the moment of printing) takes place along the vertical part t ofthe arm T3 without causing it to be moved sidewise. W'hen the main frameis released, the rack 'l and lever T are returned to theirnormalposition by the spring t4.

In spacing a word the main frame is depressed by means of a tinger-barE, provided at its front edge for that purpose. A gap H3 is left asaforementioned in the groups of type on the type-wheel I-l, in orderthat the platen, when raised in spacing a word, may not come in contactwith the wheel.

The sheet of paper Q is held in position on one side of the platen by awire or rod r3, Figs. 2 and The wire r3 is cranked at each end, and ispivoted to the platen-frame at r, as shown, a stop fr being provided atone or both ends for it to rest against. The wire clip is Apivotedsomewhat stiily in its bearings, and

the stop or stops Ware in such a position that the clip, when restingagainst them, lies near enough tothe platen to cause the paper Q to Vlieclose against its upper side, but not so 4near as to press the paperagainst the side of the platen and prevent it from moving freely alongwhen the platen is turned round in spacing a line. In conjunction withthe clip r3 the top of the paper-guide rs is so placed as to hug theplaten and hold the paper tightly against the same on the side remotefrom the clip. To tix a sheet of paper in the machine, the edge of thesheet is first slipped under the platen, being guided by the guide rg.The platen is then turned so as to draw the paper past the guide and theclip is thrown back. The edge of the paper is now turned over the platenand held in position thereon by replacing the clip.

The type may be inked previous to each impression, as follows: The inkis placed upon a roller M Figs. 3 and 9, of absorptive material. Thisroller bears against the type and is carried in bearings, preferablyupon the spring-arm M. rlhe latter is attached to a bracket M2, which isadj ustably mounted in guides upon the frame or standard vB', as shownin Figs. 2, 3, and S. The type required to print is drawn across theink-roller each time the type-wheel is rotated previously to and afterprinting.

A warning-bell, such as is usually found in type-writing machines, maybeplaced in any convenient position, so as to ring when a line is almostcomplete.

The mode of action of the foregoing parts of the machine is as follows:The type-wheel H is irst adjusted so that its spring pin or pawl K2rests in that groove on the type-wheel shaft corresponding to the groupof type with which it is desired to print. A key is depressed and causesa partial rotation of the typeswheelby means of the keylever C',belonging to the said key, and the mechanism connecting the said leverwith the type-wheel shaft. The key-lever strikes the bottom of itsguidingslot c as soon as the type-wheel has been rotated sufficiently tobring the corresponding type into position for printing. -By continuingthe pressure on the key the pivoted main frame A is depressed. Thiscauses the lockingdisk H5 to be brought down upon thelockin g pin orpawl L aforesaid. The pawl, entering the notch H2 immediately above it,exactly adjusts and locks the type-Wheel in. position before printing.During the first part of the downward movement of the main frame A therack T is operated by means of the lever t and the angle spacing-leverT', and the platen R is consequently drawn along into the properposition for printing. During the depression of the main frame theplaten R is raised toward the type-wheel H bythe sliding contact of theprojection S and'abutment S2, and by the time the main frame hasdescended to the buffer a5 the platen has pressed the paper against thet-ype- Wheel and produced an impression. The key being released, thekey-lever, type-Wheel, and main frame are returned to theirnormalposition by their respective springs, the spacinglever releasesthe rack-pin t,and the rack is returned to its original position byitsspring tl. The machine is now ready for another or the same key to bedepressed to produce the next impression.

In describing the foregoing parts of the machine it has been assumedvthat the matter was printed from left to right. The machine could,however, be arranged to print from right to left; also, the style of theprinted characters may be varied by having a series of similartype-wheels, each bearing charactel's of apartieular style, any one ofwhich wheels may be readily changed for any other, disconnecting thewheel from its shaft, and withdrawing the latter from its bearings.

I do not herein lay any broad claim to the following constructions, assubstantially similar constructions are fully described and claimed inmy pending application, Serial No. 304,816.

The combination, with a type-wheel and a type-key-lever shaft, of atoothed Wheel on said shaft, a Wheel gearing with the same and rigidlymounted upon an oscillatory shaft, a toothed quadrant on saidoscillatory shaft, and a toothed driving-wheel gearing with saidquadrant and movable synchronously with the type-wheel.

The combination of a type-Wheel having type arranged around itsperiphery, a locking-wheel movable synchronously with the type-wheel andhaving a concentric series of notches on its periphery corresponding innumber and relative angular position with the type, a depressible mainframe carrying both type-wheel and locking-wheel, and a locking-pawlmounted in proximity to the lpcking-wheel and adapted to be introducedinto the adjacent notch on said wheel at each depression of the mainframe.

I claim as my invention- Y l. In a.type-writer, the combination of a IOOtype-wheel capable of an oscillatory and a longitudinal movement upon anapproximately horizontal axis, a series of key-levers connected withsaid type-wheel and adapted to impart varying amounts of oscillation tothe same, a depressible main frame carrying said wheel, together withthe said levers and connecting mechanism and pivoted upon an axis lyingbelow the wheel and approximately at right angles to the axis of thesamc, and a platen-carrying bed below the wheel, hinged at one side tothe main frame on an axis approximately parallel to the pivot-axisthereof and supported at the opposite side upon an elevating device notcarried by the frame, substantially as described.

2. In a type-writer, a pivoted depressible main frame A, a type-wheelII, mounted thereon, an d a platen-bed S, located below the typewheeland hinged at or near one side to the main frame, as described, incombination with a stationary abutment S2, supporting the opposite sideof the platen-bed and having a sloping termination adapted to bearagainst the opposing sloping face of a piece S on the bed, whereby thedepression of the main frame causes the platen-bed to be raised towardthe type-wheel a distance suflicient to print, substantially as setforth.

3. In a type-writer, the combination, with a rocking shaft D, connectedby suitable mechanism with an oscillatory type-wheel, of a series ofparallel depressible key-levers arranged transversely to said shaft,each lever having the same amount of travel and each constructed tooperate the said shaft during a definite and different portion of suchtravel, whereby a variable type-wheel movement is obtained with aconstant movement of the key-levers, substantially as set forth.

4. In a type-writer, a type-wheel H, a shaft D, connected therewith, anda series of keylevers C', each having the vsame travel and each capableof imparting a different amount of rotary movement to the said shaft, incombination with a check-rod c2, placed above the upper edges of thesaid levers, springs c', adapted to hold the levers normally in contactwith said check-rod, and an upright rib C2, provided withleiv'er-guiding slots c, having all their lower closed ends located atthe same distance from the opposing lower edges of the levers,substantially as set forth.

5. In a type-writer, the combination, with a rocking shaft D, connectedwith an oscillatory type-wheel, of a series of key-levers C lyingtransversely to said shaft and mounted upon a separate axis in the rearof the same, a projecting feather d upon the shaft, and a proj ectionupon each lever adapted to engage the said feather, whereby the shaftmay be operated by the depression of a lever with a minimum amount offriction, substantially as described.

6. In a type-writer, the combination, with a rocking shaft D, heldnormally in a given angular position, of a series of key-levers C',havinga constant travel and mounted transversely above the shaft upon anaxis in the rear of the same, a projecting feather d upon the shaft, anda projection d2 upon each lever adapted to engage said feather andhaving its lower face located normally at a distance from the upper faceof the feather different from that of any of the other projections,sub-- st-antially as set forth.

'7. In a type-writer, the combination, with a depressible main frame Aanda reciprocatory spacing-rack T, connected, as described, with thesliding platen-frame, of a pin t', projecting laterally from said rack,an angled spacing-lever T', pivoted on the main frame and having one ofits arms bearing against the side of said rack-pin, and a rocking levert6, pivoted upon a stationary part of t-he machine and having one endengagingthe other arm of said angled lever and the opposite endconnected to the front portion of the main frame, whereby the said rackand platen are drawn along the necessary distance to space a characteror word each timethe main frame is depressed, substantially asdescribed.

8. In a type-writer, a reciprocating spacingrack T, having a rack-pinzf, a depressiblc main frameA, and a rocking lever t6, operated, asdescribed,at each depression of the said frame, in combination with anangled spacing-lever T', pivoted to the main frame and having itsupwardly-extended arm T2 bearing against the side of the said rack-pinand its lateral downwardly-cranked arm T3 bearing with its lowerextremity upon the rear end of the said rocking lever,and provided atsuch extremity with a vertical part t, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

9. In a type-writer, the combination of a type-wheel H, an absorptiveinking-roller M, bearing against the type, a flexible arm M, carryingsaid roller, and a bracket M2, serving as a support for said arm andadjustable in guides to and from the type-wheel, substantially asdescribed. l

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

F. MYERS.

Witnesses:

WM. P. THOMPSCN, II. P. SHOOBRIDGE.

IOO

IIO

